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ABEDON

The Tomb of The Gods

Morrigan is dead. Soon I will be free…

I stand on a hill scorched with hellfire, watching the sky roil and churn as drops of crimson blood rains down.

Elioth, Unseelie King and Knight Commander of The Chasm, stands by my side.

He hands me a gilded box wrapped in silver chains.

My hands tremble, for I feel the darkness within it.

I trace the tip of my finger along the rune spells that have been carved into the box.

“This is the weapon? You managed to bring a piece of the Chasm to the physical world?” I ask in awe.

Elioth bows his head respectfully.

I walk towards the Hall of The Gods where I had been denied my right to ascend to their divine ranks. “Did I ever tell you what happened the day I found my purpose?”

Elioth shakes his head. “No, my lord.”

“I knelt before the gods with Morrigan and Silvanus at my side. We were the eldest of our kind, keepers of magic. I was the strongest and most talented in the arcane arts but, when it came time for the gods to decide which of us was to join them, they chose Silvanus. He was no better than a magician with cheap tricks at the time.”

“And Morrigan?”

“She had potential to be great, but she feared those stronger than her,” I explain.

“She accepted the will of the gods for what it was. Morrigan chose her side when she began to conspire with Silvanus.” My heart aches for Morrigan.

She could have been a magnificent queen.

“We only have one chance to do this, Elioth. May they tremble at the mention of our names for eons to come.”

“And weep in endless darkness.”

I lift my hand and force the doors open.

A blinding light spills from the chamber where the gods had barricaded themselves during the invasion.

My boots scuff on the white marble floors as I make my way towards the center of the room.

Dozens of celestial beings stare back at me.

I release the box, allowing it to float before me.

Elioth closes the door with a loud bang. I can feel the tension rising.

“The realms are in chaos. The Singularity has begun. Darkness shall reign.”

“What is the meaning of this?!” someone shouts.

“There can only be one god of the new world!”

The silver chains sever and clatter to the floor.

As the lid opens, black smoke slithers out and floats towards me.

I breathe it in deeply, filling my lungs with the thick substance until there is no more.

The box drops like dead weight. “You had your chance to see my greatness and you rejected me. Now you will bear witness to my ascension.”

Darkness… sweet darkness.

But the scent of dank wood and black mold assault my senses.

My power reaches out, prodding the shadows for signs of life.

There is none. Only the bones of fallen gods keep me company.

Morrigan’s death weakened the spell on the door that keeps me locked in this horrid place.

She could never have come up with such complicated magic on her own.

I admit I underestimated Silvanus, for his power was much greater than I anticipated.

He did not have the power to kill me even with Morrigan at his side, but he outsmarted me. A mistake I intend to rectify soon.

My power already grows stronger with each passing second. The link to the Chasm is still intact.

“Elioth, my friend, can you hear me?” I ask.

No answer comes, but I sense his presence.

My eyes open as they slowly adjust to the darkness of what was once a place where life flourished. “I know you are awakened in the Chasm, Elioth. Morrigan’s death has allowed me to finally speak. I have orders for you.”

I feel Elioth stirring in the place no other physical being has wandered.

“We must gather my followers.” I continue.

“There may be a way to free me with or without killing Silvanus.” I reach deep inside, tugging on the tendril of darkness that still lingers there.

My senses delve into the Chasm. Elioth reaches for me.

A swell of power surges forward and Elioth swims his way towards the surface.

I hold the barrier open long enough for him to slip through.

The stale air parts like a curtain and Elioth stumbles through the gateway before it snaps shut like elastic.

Elioth stands before me with unfettered hatred on his face. “They betrayed us…”

“Yes. And they will die with the rest of the pitiful creatures that call this world their home.” I stand up from the throne, hearing my bones pop and crack after centuries of being immobile.

“I killed the gods with my bare hands and they thought locking us away would keep us from rising, but here we are. Already I feel the brink of war on the horizon. Go. Gather my followers and bring them to me.”

“The brotherhood still lives?”

“So long as a heart beats within this chest, there will always be those willing to fight for the darkness. The ones who don’t bow or join us will perish. The heavens are scarred. Let us tear it open once more.”

***

EILISH

Mortal Ruins

The portal spits us out in a different section of the mortal realm.

I smell the salt of the sea and feel the wind on my face, but I see nothing but dense fog slithering along the ground.

It obscures everything in sight. Dragan is at my side, sword ready to defend me as we walk the people of the Mercenary Stronghold towards a new future.

I can’t help but think we brought this on them.

Variant would have found Galmer’s fortress eventually, but we led him right to it.

“Enough, Eilish,” Dragan whispers harshly. “You aren’t to blame for the fate of these people. Morrigan is to blame.”

“Silvanus too,” Baron adds.

“Silvanus isn’t to blame.” I know what they think of me when I defend my lovers, but I know Silvanus has his reasons for not getting involved and they will come to light soon enough.

“Things are complicated. We’ve only had to deal with Theren, Variant, and Morrigan so far.

We have no idea what else is going on. Silvanus is occupied with something I’m sure we wouldn’t want to get caught up in”

“He’s busy getting his beauty sleep in the Raven Forest.” Baron’s dry retort is supported by Dragan’s chuckle. They aren’t being fair to Silvanus. He has yet to tell his side of the story.

“We should wait to hear what Silvanus has to say before passing judgement,” I say. Then I shove past them. “Let’s keep moving.”

Dragan and Baron seem taken aback by my reaction, but I’m tired of defending every decision I make.

I remember the days before we joined Pyre, Aima, and Kolvar.

Back then, I was too weak to do anything more than get in the way and their arrogance got us into more trouble than necessary.

Their bickering and ranting didn’t help matters.

Running from bounty hunters, soldiers, and Anona while three enormous men have a pissing contest isn’t the safest way to travel.

They all felt entitled to be the leader, yet none of them knew the first thing about responsibility despite their former roles as kings.

They are different now.

I see the progress they’ve all made, but there are days when their old habits begin to creep up once again.

Pyre follows me to the head of the group. He’s silent at first, which is a welcome change from Dragan and Baron’s constant banter. Pyre playfully nudges me. I glance over at him and wish he’d forgone the mask. His scars and runes make him unique and beautiful. There’s no need to hide from me.

“How are you? I know that took a lot of your strength back there,” I say.

“It wasn’t easy, but I’m growing used to it.

After sharing my burden with Baron, I feel lighter.

And yet, for the first time since I took the guardianship, I don’t know what to do next,” he answers with a shrug.

“There is no foresight, no more prophecies to guide me. I still have my knowledge and experience...”

“But it’s not the same. I understand.”

“Do you?” he asks. I can hear the smile in his voice.

“I spent many years thinking I’d be stuck in the Glade looking after my sister and mother.

I thought I’d grow to be a healer like her and carry on the legacy, but I knew I was different.

The day I killed the Unseelie noble’s son, Prince Yanhir, I knew I was no healer.

After whispers had traveled through Oronrel and Earlann about his death, I poured all of my focus into keeping the Glade isolated so my family would be safe,” I explain.

“Silvanus hadn’t appeared to me in months and I shouldered the blame, thinking somehow he knew what I’d done.

It wasn’t until I went to Cambion that I felt relief as well as uncertainty.

I was no longer my family’s only protector, but I didn’t know what the future held for us, now that I’d gone to a fae for help. ”

“All of the events that have taken place were set in motion for a reason, Eilish,” Pyre says.

“I could tell you not to hold on to the guilt of what happened to your family, but I won’t.

You made a foolish mistake and you dragged Cambion into it.

You made the decisions that led to the tragedy of your family’s death and you took the life of a young man.

” Pyre pauses for a moment before he continues.

“If you didn’t feel guilt, you’d be no better than Morrigan.

It’s these moments in our lives that shape us.

You learned lessons from your mistakes and they’ve kept you from repeating them.

It’s all part of life, Eilish. Hold on to that guilt and use it. Fight with it.”

“You’re telling me to accept it?”

He nods and points in the distance. I follow the length of his arm and the tip of his finger until I see what appears to be a city hidden in the fog. Beyond the tall buildings, I see mountains and yet I also hear waves crashing on the sands of a beach.